Blowback
"Blowback" is the eighth episode of the first season, and the eighth episode in the series overall. It was written by Benjamin Cavell and directed by Jon Avnet. It first aired on May 4, 2010. Plot Synopsis Raylan tries to defuse a hostage situation in the marshals' office without any casualties, and later discovers that his actions with Ava could have repercussions on Boyd Crowder's prison sentence. Recap Ava munches on pie at the local diner when Bo Crowder, fresh out of prison, sits down next to her. He explains that he has Raylan to thank. When the marshal busted Sheriff Hunter, many of the former lawman's arrests were given get-out-of-jail-free cards. "I'm here for you ... I feel like you're my responsibility," a lecherous Bo says. Raylan approaches. "You were just leaving," he says. Bo makes a few more off-color "pie" comments before Raylan indirectly threatens the hardened ex-con with bodily harm. Bo scrams... for the time being. Back at the office, Raylan runs into Vasquez, who suggests a "sit down" in a few hours. "Do you plan on using a union lawyer?" he asks. "Think about it." Sounds ominous. Cut to Winona returning home to find a strange, but well-dressed man in her house. Wynn Duffy introduces himself and claims to have been invited by Gary to assess their personal "security" situation. Winona angrily demands the intruder leave. He makes threatening comments about her safety. "I hope you'll let Mr. Hawkins know I was here," he coolly says. "Tell him I didn't forget." Oh Gary, what no good are you up to now? Raylan, meanwhile, suddenly has more to worry about than lawyers. A prisoner named Wallace has managed to corral two guards, holding a shiv to one of their throats. "I'll talk to you because you won't bullshit me," Wallace yells to Raylan. Mullen quietly orders Raylan to take a shot if he can't outwit the criminal (seeing as how it would be justified, of course). While Raylan banters with Wallace, Gutterson snakes a camera through a vent near the ceiling. Wallace then turns off the lights and shuts the door to the locker room. Later, Rachel looks at photos of Wallace and sees "Simone" tattooed across the man's chest. Raylan inquires about the name — and Wallace tearfully explains that Simone is his daughter, who the criminal hasn't seen in more than a decade. But just as Raylan thinks he might be getting somewhere, Wallace smiles and confesses that he is lying. "Simone" actually represents David Simone, a man Wallace killed. "He was my first!" Wallace says with a laugh. The criminal then explains that he has no illusions how this will all end. He just wants to "screw" with the guards like they screwed with him in prison. Art summons Raylan into his office, explaining that the cowboy has 15 minutes to wrap things up before the TAC team arrives — and likely kills the prisoner. "Is there any way we can get some fried chicken in here — spicy?" asks Raylan. Art is perplexed — and so are we. Vasquez, on the other hand, appears to like the idea. "For what it's worth, if you put this guy down, no one from my office is going to question you," he adds. Good to know. Cut to the Hawkins' household. Winona challenges Gary about Wynn Duffy. Gary claims not to know the man. "You know what he was here for," Winona says. "I know you're into something with some bad people." Still denying all the charges, Gary storms out of the house — blaming Winona for sending a threatening Raylan after him. Back at the station, Wallace continues to run down his sordid history, telling stories of braining his boss with a chain and how his daddy worked as a security guard. Just then, the heavily armed TAC team enters. "Time for the fun to begin," Wallace quips. The team immediately cuts all the lights. Mullen, meanwhile, tries to stall the new arrivals, telling the TAC team leader that fried chicken is on the way. Perhaps Wallace will put down his shiv if offered food. "It might be good to give him an out so that he saves face," Mullen explains to the TAC team leader, who couldn't disagree more. But they give Raylan two minutes anyway. "Put down the shiv," the Deputy Marshal says. "Live to see what I got coming for ya." Just then, Gutterson enters with a giant bag of food. Raylan takes a bite of the "extra spicy" — and Wallace practically drools. Raylan then promises to order Wallace a chicken dinner each night for the next three days — and even engage in polite conversation — if the criminal will let the guards go. The offer is tempting to Wallace, who claims to only want to be treated like a human being. Raylan then offers the man a shot of bourbon from Mullen's special desk drawer stash. And just like that, the hostage-taker puts down his shiv and surrenders. "I think the bourbon sealed it," Raylan tells Mullen and Vasquez, who offers to postpone the meeting mentioned earlier. Raylan, however, would rather "get it over with." So Vasquez starts asking questions about his relationship with Ava — and then produces photographs of the pair, including of them in bed together, taken through the window of his motel room. Raylan is as surprised as he is angry. Vasquez then explains that Boyd's lawyer will "strongly suggest" that the timing of Ava shooting her husband and Raylan's arrival in Harlan means that Raylan began his relationship with Ava before he was reassigned to Kentucky. Meaning: "We're going to have to release Boyd Crowder," Vasquez says. The bottom line is that the entire case against Boyd is predicated on the testimony of Raylan and Ava, who are both "compromised." Vasquez then advises Raylan to stay away from Boyd. He doesn't, of course. Raylan is there when Boyd is released from prison. The man continues to preach the good word of God, believing his sudden freedom is God's work. "The way I see it, I'm the one who allowed you to be released upon the world — just like I'm the one who's going to find a way to put you back in a cage," Raylan says. Boyd just smiles — and greets Bo, who is waiting outside the prison with a lawyer. "I will continue to pray that someday I will bring you a modicum of peace," Boyd says. Raylan then gets a call from Ava — and decides not to answer. Appearances First Appearances #Wynn Duffy - Middleman for the Dixie Mafia who is in cahoots with Gary Hawkins #Cal Wallace - Prisoner who causes a scene at the Marshals' office and holds two guards hostage Deaths No deaths in this episode. Production Cast Starring cast *Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens *Nick Searcy as Art Mullen *Joelle Carter as Ava Crowder *Jacob Pitts as Tim Gutterson *Erica Tazel as Rachel Brooks *Natalie Zea as Winona Hawkins Guest stars *W. Earl Brown as Cal Wallace *Jere Burns as Wynn Duffy *M.C. Gainey as Bo Crowder *Rick Gomez as David Vasquez *Fredric Lehne as TAC Commanding Officer *William Ragsdale as Gary Hawkins *Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder Co-stars *David Haley as Ullman *David Hill as US Marshal *Chris Stacy as Porter Gallery S2.jpg External links *List of Justified episodes on Wikipedia - Season 1 section *Justified Episode Guide on FX, Season 1 *"Blowback" at the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) Category:Season 1 episodes